Flight and Weather Briefing
The pilot obtained a weather briefing and was advised of scattered thunderstorm activity along the intended route. Subsequently, an IFR flight plan was filed from Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to Houston Intercontinental Airport in Texas. The pilot, accompanied by his wife, departed at 1235 local time.
En Route Events
The aircraft climbed to its assigned altitude of 11,000 feet mean sea level and proceeded routinely until 1310, when Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) instructed the pilot to contact Fort Worth Center. The pilot acknowledged the instruction but did not establish contact with the center. Radar contact with the aircraft was lost at 1319.
Witness Observations and Weather
Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion and observing wreckage falling from the sky. Their observations, combined with weather radar data, confirmed the presence of a thunderstorm just north of the crash site through which the aircraft had flown.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the horizontal stabilizers had failed in a negative direction and separated from the aircraft. Subsequently, both wings also failed negatively and separated from the aircraft.